Where to Warm Up with Raclette and Fondue in Toulouse
With the days growing shorter and considerably colder, we need to warm up from the inside. Hot chocolate is always a priority, but raclette and fondue, the twin peaks of cheesy decadence, are the stars of winter in France. Gooey cheese, soft potatoes, crusty bread, and decadent charcuterie are where it’s at! If you’re of like mind (and stomach), here’s your guide to warm up with raclette and fondue in Toulouse. (And while we have you with us: Check out our full selection of Toulouse Food Tours.)
What is raclette and fondue – and what’s the difference?
Raclette
Raclette, derived from the French verb “racler” which means “to scrape,” is both a type of cheese and a style of preparation. The dish originated in the mountainous regions of Savoy and neighboring Switzerland during the Middle Ages, when cow herders would carry cheese with them in the pastures. They would then warm them over the campfire at night and scrape the melted cheese onto bread.
Raclette cheese is a semi-hard cow’s milk cheese made in wheels of about 6 kg (13 lb). In restaurants, you most commonly see raclette cheese cut into half wheels, which are then placed under a heated lamp, cut side up. Once browned and bubbly, the layer of melted cheese is scraped onto your plate, usually alongside roasted potatoes and other veggies, charcuterie, cornichons, and anything else you might want to cover with cheese.
In France, many people have their own raclette grill – there is such a thing as “raclette season” here! Come winter, the French will buy slices of raclette cheese at the supermarket or at local fromageries, which they will heat in their raclette grill using small trays, the perfect size for the slice of cheese. Meanwhile, the heated griddle on top cooks sliced vegetables. Read on to discover our guide on how to make raclette at home.
Fondue
While perhaps the more well-known dish, fondue is actually a much more recent invention. Also of Swiss-Savoyard heritage, it was heavily marketed by the Swiss cheesemakers union from the 1930s to encourage the consumption of Gruyere cheese. It consists of a melted cheese mixture – the name “fondue” comes from the French “fondre” meaning “to melt” – served in a communal pot with long forks for dipping bread (or anything else you want!).
Fondue can be made with many different types of cheese, but look for easily-melted varieties with good flavor like Comté, Beaufort, Reblochon, or Cantal. It is usually cooked with wine, the pot rubbed with garlic, and topped off with a splash of kirsch or other liquor.
Why eat raclette and fondue in Toulouse?
Just a couple of hours away from the Pyrenees, Toulouse has a strong affinity to winter activities and, by proxy, the taste of melted cheese!
Not only that, but fondue and raclette are dishes to share and enjoy with others, which is an important element of traditional dining in Toulouse. In France, food is made for sharing – to eat family style and to appreciate high-quality dishes with loved ones – and Toulouse’s cuisine is taken straight from the land, the food of the soil – hearty, filling and traditional.
So, no wonder our city has so many fantastic raclette and fondue restaurants! This is the Taste of Toulouse team’s list of the best raclette and fondue in Toulouse.
Where can you find raclette and fondue in Toulouse?
Les Fondues de la Daurade
This year-round winter-focused restaurant offers both fondue and raclette prix-fix menus (minimum 2 people), which include all-you-can-eat potatoes and bread in addition to charcuterie and a small salad. What could be better than serving yourself from your own personal wheel of raclette?! Les Fondues de la Daurade offers a great selection of winter dishes other than raclette and fondue Savoyard, including the chalet-favorite tartiflette (potato, bacon and wheels of Reblochon) and Berthoud (Abondance cheese grilled until melted). Other fondues are also on the menu, such as southwestern-style magret de canard or fondue bourguignonne, both of which are served without cheese.
Address: 1 Rue Jean Suau, 31000 Toulouse
Opening times: Monday to Sunday, 11:00 – 15:00, 18:30 – 23:30
Le Grenier de Pépé
Specializing in traditional, warming French dishes, this restaurant is old-fashioned, cozy and personable – the name literally translates as “Grandpa’s attic”. With a passion for Alpine cuisine, in the evenings, they serve several different types of fondue which range from individual portions to enormous sharing bowls. Alongside the traditional Savoyard fondue, the menu includes four alternative cheesy combinations, such as one imaginative northern concoction of Camembert, cider and shallots. All are served with bread, and the shared fondues come with sides of charcuterie, potatoes or salad. Le Grenier de Pépé is also the place to go for excellent galettes de sarrasin (savory buckwheat crêpes).
Address: 1 Rue Denfert Rochereau, 31000 Toulouse
Opening times: Monday to Saturday, 11:45 – 14:30, 19:00 – 00:00
Chez Bobonne
This little deli and wine shop is a great find in Toulouse, as who isn’t craving a cheese board or a hearty salad in the middle of the day? Then, when winter comes, the bar helps with those raclette cravings too. The team at Chez Bobonne are experts on local Occitanie cheeses, wines, charcuterie and other regional foods. Therefore, their raclette is from the neighboring Tarn region, and is available in three different flavors – plain, wild garlic and pepper – and is served in unlimited amounts with potatoes and a platter of charcuterie. Their other dishes celebrate the joys of cheese, including tartiflette made with local cheese and meats, croque monsieurs, and various sandwiches and salads.
Address: 52 Rue du Taur, 31000 Toulouse
Opening times: Monday to Saturday, 10:30 – 22:30
Le Versant
Just from the name, it is clear what Le Versant’s forte is. Le Versant means “the slope” and its cuisine is inspired by traditional ski-chalet cheesy goodness including raclette, fondue and tartiflette – dine in a winter wonderland in the center of Toulouse! Other than their incredible selection of meats, foie gras and charcuterie, the menu has an entire cheese section listing their various fondues – such as Savoyard, mushroom and gnocchi – and all-you-can-eat raclette, tartiflette and croziflette (cheesy pasta bake). Take a seat in a private ski lift and share a pot of fondue or a wedge of raclette around the table.
Address: 47 Rue de Metz, 31000 Toulouse
Opening times: Monday to Sunday, 09:00 – 14:15, 19:00 – 22:00/22:45
Le Chalet Éphémère by Le Florida
Tuck into fondue and raclette in front of the breathtaking view of Place du Capitole. Grand Café Le Florida has been a mainstay of Toulouse’s restaurant scene since 1874, but only in the last three years has it expanded to serve warming delights with its winter pop-up Le Chalet Éphémère. Sample fondue Savoyard, fondue aux shiitake and tartiflette in the restaurant’s wood-paneled cozy atmosphere. Choose between Cantal or Tomme de Revel (or there’s an option with pink peppercorns) as your raclette, all served with sides such as charcuterie, potatoes and cornichons.
Address: 12 Pl. du Capitole, 31000 Toulouse
Opening times: Monday to Sunday, 12:00/18:00 – 22:30/23:00
La Friche
Located in both the north and south of the city, La Friche (meaning “wasteland”!) are enormous gourmet food courts, and come winter, these are the places to celebrate all things cheesy and indulgent! La Friche transforms into a ski resort with private dining spaces in igloos and cable cars, so you can dine in a real Alpine wonderland. Their all-you-can-eat raclette is the most affordable on this list at 21 euros per person, and is served with bottomless potatoes and salad, as well as a charcuterie platter. Camp fires, fairy lights and melted cheese – bring on the cold weather!
La Friche Montaudran
Address: 10 Imp. Didier Daurat, 31400 Toulouse
Opening times: Thursday – Friday, 12:00 – 14:00, Tuesday to Saturday, 17:00/19:00 – 01:00/02:00
La Friche Gramont
Address: 11 Rue Henri Jansou, 31200 Toulouse
Opening times: Thursday – Friday, 12:00 – 14:00, Monday to Saturday, 17:00 – 01:00/02:00
Check out our blog post on the best activities to do in Toulouse at Christmas!
DIY Raclette and Fondue
Having a raclette or fondue soirée at home couldn’t be easier! Raclette grills and fondue sets are available at many home stores in a range of prices, depending on size and quality. All you need to do is visit your local fromager to pick up cheese, stop by the charcutier for a selection of charcuterie, and grab whatever vegetables you want to roast.
Your fromager can recommend what type of cheese to buy (if you’re lucky, they’ll have several that are good) and how much per person, as well as slice the cheese for you with a special tool. Recommendations for how much cheese to buy range from 200-250 grams per person. For fondue, look for shredded cheese to make the melting easier.
In Toulouse, we recommend Xavier Fromagerie for their expertise and the variety of delicious raclette flavors they have available – smoked, garlic, peppercorn, sheep’s milk, you name it. If you want to make it really, really easy, Xavier offers a raclette package of one, three or five varieties. Maison Garcia offers a ready-made charcuterie platter created specifically to eat with raclette! Chez Bobonne also has a great DIY raclette package for you to take home, available in three different flavors, that comes with a range of local charcuterie.
Pro-tip: Save time by ordering your cheese and charcuterie in advance so that all you have to do is pick it up at the shop! If they are slicing the raclette cheese or arranging a charcuterie platter to order, it can take some time.
What is your favorite way to enjoy melted cheese during the wintertime? Do you know of other places to try raclette or fondue in Toulouse?
Looking for more cheesy decadence? Check out the Marché Victor Hugo tour for a great introduction to shopping in French cheese shops! Or if you’d like to read more about French cheese, read our Beginner’s Guide to French Cheese.
